,i,niiii.v}[  nmcihv*)  Mooney 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


FOR 

YOUNG  GARDENERS 


A TREATISE  DESIGNED  FOR  THOSE  YOUNG  IN 
EXPERIENCE  AS  WELL  AS  YOUTHFUE 
GARDENERS 


H.  D.  HEMENWAY 

FORMERLY 

DIRECTOR,  SCHOOL  OF  HORTICULTURE 
HARTFORD,  CONN. 


NORTHAMPTON,  MASSACHUSETTS 
PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AUTHOR 


THIRD  EDITION  1911 


Copyright  1906. 

By  H.  D.  Hemenway. 


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PREFACE. 

This  little  book  is  written  with  a view  of  furnishing  a 
low  priced  guide  to  school  and  home  gardeners.  It  is  in- 
tended not  only  for  youthful  gardeners,  but  also  for  those 
young  in  experience. 

It  has  grown  out  of  the  experience  of  the  Author  in 
the  class-room  and  garden  with  classes  of  both  children 
and  adults. 

The  Author  endeavours  to  keep  the  book  in  clear, 
simple,  and  concise  language,  and  it  is  his  hope  that  it 
may  prove  a guideboard  to  success,  to  persons  who  do  not 
knowT  the  way,  and  an  assurance  to  those  in  doubt. 

H.  D.  Hemenway, 
Hartford , Connecticut , 1906. 


? 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

Introduction. 

CHAPTER  II. 

How  TO  PuAN  THE  GARDEN. 

Selection  of  Garden  Plot — Enriching  it — Selecting  the  Crops  to  Grow 
— Selecting  the  Tools. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Soie  Tieeage. 

Objects  of  Tillage — Implements  used  in  Tillage — the  Spade — the 
Plow — the  Harrow — Cultivators — Roller — Planker — How  to  Spade — 
How  to  Rake — How  to  Hoe. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

How  to  Test  Seeds. 

Seed  Testing  Blank — Germination— How  to  Make  a Germinator. 
CHAPTER  V. 

How  TO  Peant. 

Preparing  the  hand — Directions  for  Planting  Beans — Bush — Tima  and 
Pole  — Beets — Brussels  Sprouts — Broccoli — Cabbage — Carrots — Cauli- 
flower— Celery — Sweet  Corn — Corn  Salad — Cress  — Cucumber  — Dan- 
delion— Egg  Plant — Endive  — Kale — Kohl  Rabi  — Lettuce  — keek — 
Mustard — Melons — Okra — Onions — Parsley — Mixing  Soil  and  Potting 
— Parsnip — Peppers — Peas — Potatoes — Pumpkins — Radish — Salsify — 
Spinach— Squash — Tomatoes — Turnip — Vegetable — Planting  Table- 
Flower  Planting  Table. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

How  to  Dig  and  Set  Trees. 

How  to  dig  the  Tree — How  to  set  it — Planting  Board. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

How  to  Make  a Hotbed  and  Care  for  the  Same. 

How  to  Make  the  Bed — How  to  Care  for  it — Cotton  Shutters. 
CHAPTER  VIII. 

Strawberry  Cueture. 

Preparing  the  Land — Setting  in  Garden,  in  field — Winter  Covering — 
The  Barrel  Method. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Asparagus  Cueture. 

Planting  the  Seed — Preparing  the  Ground — Setting  the  Roots  for 
Garden  Culture,  for  Field.  Culture — Cutting. 

CHAPTER  X. 

Window  Gardening. 

The  best  Plants  for  it — Mixing  the  Soil  for  Common  Plants,  for 
Palms  and  Roses,  for  Cacti — Selecting  and  arranging  the  Plants  in 
Boxes — List  of  Suitable  Plants — Pottina  and  Re-potting — Propagation 
— Bulbs — Care  of  Plants. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/hintshelpsforyouOOheme 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

IN  America,  garden  work  and  elementary  agriculture  as  a 
means  of  education  has  been  successfully  demonstrated 
for  nearly  a score  of  years.  Many  of  its  enthusiastic  advo- 
cates believe  it  has  already  past  its  experimental  stage, 
and  should  be  included  in  the  curriculum  of  every  well- 
organized  school. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  are  conservative  educators, 
who  still  look  upon  it  as  a fad.  Many  others,  probably 
the  larger  number,  believe  in  it,  but  for  the  lack  of  effi- 
cient teachers,  and  equipment,  hesitate  to  advocate  intro- 
ducing the  School  Garden. 

Several  institutions  in  the  country  have  already  begun 
to  train  teachers  and  the  School  Garden  movement  is 
making  rapid  progress.  The  time  is  not  far  distant,  when 
practical,  elementary  agriculture,  and  gardening  will  be 
taught  in  many  schools.  It  develops  the  children  physi- 
cally as  well  as  mentally  and  in  the  open  air  often  creating 
a love  for  things,  which  keep  the  city  boy  off  the  street 
corners  during  the  summer,  and  teaches  the  country  child 
the  business-like,  up-to-date  methods  in  agriculture  and 
gardening. 

It  not  only  educates  me  nead,  the  heart,  and  the  hand, 
but  it  aids  in  the  practical  application  of  reading,  writing 
and  arithmetic.  Gardening  increases  and  develops  the 
power  of  observation.  It  makes  a person  quick  to  grasp 
ideas  and  to  put  these  ideas  into  action.  These  are  im- 
portant foundations  for  success  in  any  line  of  business. 
It  develops  moral  character. 

Few  things,  if  any,  develop  a love  of  industry  better 
than  the  well-kept  garden.  Ever  changing  nature  lures 
us  on  to  help  some  pet  plant  to  grow  until  we  love  the 
work. 


An  unsightly  yard. 


The  same  yard  three  months  later. 

What  was  once  unsightly,  unsanitary  and  unproductive,  becomes  a resort 
of  beauty,  of  health  and  of  utility  for  a whole  family. 

Photos  bj'  Edward  Mahoney. 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


9 


Establishing  a School  Garden  may  change  the  entire 
healthfulness  of  a neighborhood.  The  school  grounds, 
themselves  may  be  better  planned  and  more  healthful,  but 
the  best  effect  may  be  at  the  homes.  The  School  Gardener 
soon  wants  a garden  at  home.  No  matter  how  small  the 
yard,  there  is  room  for  a garden  for  the  boy  or  girl,  even  if 
it  has  to  he  established  in  a soap-box.  There  is  much  waste 
room  often  used  for  ashes,  tin  cans,  or  rubbish  in  many 
yards.  What  was  once  unsightly,  unsanitary,  and  unpro- 
ductive, becomes  a resort  of  beauty,  of  health  and  utility 
for  a whole  family.  It  opens  up  a source  of  revenue, 
creates  a love  of  industry,  and  respect  for  property,  and  is 
often  the  beginning  of  better  things.  The  gardener  be- 
comes a better  American  citizen. 


Learning  habits  of  close  observation. 


CHAPTER  II. 

HOW  TO  PLAN  THE  GARDEN. 

THE  first  thing  in  planning  a garden  is  to  decide  upon 
the  location.  If  there  is  sufficient  land  so  a choice 
can  be  made  always  select  the  best  land  with  the  most 
sunny  exposure.  If  it  has  a southern  slope  it  will  be  still 
earlier  and  warmer. 

Enrich  it  with  rotted  stable  manure  at  the  rate  of  ten 
cords  or  more  to  the  acre.  In  the  absence  of  stable 
manure*  use  a liberal  sprinkling  of  wood  ashes,  and  bone 
dust  and  apply  a little  nitrate  of  soda  to  the  crops  occa- 
sionally, especially  to  the  leaf  crops.  If  there  is  a board 
fence  place  the  tall  growing  crops  next  to  it,  otherwise 
place  them  on  the  north  side. 

Do  not  try , at  first , to  grow  rare  or  uncommon  things. 
Cover  the  fences  with  flowering  vines,  as  nasturtiums, 
morning  glories,  cobaeas,  Japanese  hop,  etc.  Any  un- 
sightly places  may  be  covered  with  the  above  named  vines 
or  with  wild  cucumber,  gourds,  squash  or  pumpkins. 
Low  flowers  show  best  when  planted  along  the  path. 
Taller  ones  may  be  planted  back  of  them.  Give  every- 
thing plenty  of  room. 

Rows  of  corn  or  potatoes  should  not  be  closer  than  two 
and  one-half  feet  in  the  garden,  or  three  or  three  and  one- 
half  feet  in  the  field.  Tomatoes  should  be  three  to  four 
feet  apart,  and  hills  of  squashes  and  cucumbers  should 
never  be  closer  than  five  feet  apart,  although  other  early 
crops  may  be  planted  within  four  feet  of  them. 

A crop  of  lettuce,  radishes,  spinach  or  onions,  may  be 
obtained  from  the  spaces  between  the  crops  that  are  planted 
more  than  two  feet  apart.  Different  kinds  of  corn  should 
not  be  planted  in  the  same  garden.  Different  varieties  of 

*The  street  department  will  generally  furnish  plenty  of  street  sweepings 
for  the  School  Garden. 


IO 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


1 1 


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Jxrcux  Cdoasv - 

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y (^OuntA  % , 

V.  13.  £xJOmJ-  1 

(xles/Tx/s  ' 

?/j?  nhflxA  sufj  ( , 

the  same  kind  may,  however.  It  is 
well  to  plant  an  early  and  a later  variety 
of  sweet  corn.  Plan  for  a good  vari- 
ety of  vegetables  but  do  not  try  to 
grow  things  from  which  you  are  not 
reasonably  sure  of  get- 
ting a crop. 

Begin  early  to  plan 
the  garden.  Draw  the 
plans  on  paper  and 
study  them.  Make  the 
changes,  if  there  are 
when  the 
you  have 


Garden  4x5  ft. 


any,  then, 
time  comes 
a definite  plan  to 
work  upon  and  no 
time  is  lost.  In  mak- 
ing the  plans  for  a 
School  Garden  avoid 
using  the  front  lawn, 
at  least  the  center  of 
it,  and  avoid  en- 
croaching upon  a 
needed  play-ground. 
Do  not  forget  the 
aesthetic  side  but 
have  something  be- 
sides that.  Let  the 
garden  teach,  as  well 
as  industry  and  gar- 
deningjeconomy  and 
productiveness* 

In  selecting  tools, 
it  is  important  to  buy  good  ones.  Avoid 
toys,  and  those  that  are  cheap  and  worth- 
less. The  best  workman  cannot  do  good 
work  with  inferior  tools,  much  less  can 
the  inexperienced.  While  good  tools 


Plan  f o v small 
garden  that  will, 
ripen  all  its  pro- 
ducts before  the 
first  of  July. 


Garden  10x30  ft. 

A good  plan  for  the  whole  season. 
From  report  of  Director  of  Hart- 
ford School  of  Horticulture. 


The  Needed  Tools. 

a.  Rake.  c.  Hand  Weeder. 

b.  Dine.  d.  Sunnyside  Hoe. 

Cut  loaned  by 

Doubleday,  Page  & Co.,  N Y. 


12 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


cost  more  at  first,  they  are  cheaper  in  the  end.  With 
good  tools,  the  beginner  should  begin  to  handle  them 
correctly. 


One  of  the  modern  harrows. 


CHAPTER  III. 

SOIL  TILLAGE. 

TIEEAGE  is  the  working  or  stirring  of  the  land  in 
order  to  improve  it  for  agricultural  purposes.  The 
term  cultivation  is  sometimes  used  but  tillage  is  a techni- 
cal term  and  is  to  be  preferred.  The  fundamental  practice 
in  farming  is  tilling  the  land. 

The  modern  ideas  of  tillage  dates  from  1733,  when 
Jethro  Tull  published  a book  on  Horse-Hoeing  Husbandry. 
While  his  theory  was  not  correct  as  to  the  manner  that 
plants  take  food,  he  was  the  first  in  England  to  advocate 
tilling  the  soil.  His  idea  was  that  particles  were  made  so 
fine  that  the  small  roots  could  take  them  in  as  food.  It 
was  only  in  the  latter  part  of  the  century  just  closed  that 
the  real  reasons  for  tillage  became  popularly  understood 
in  this  country. 

THE  OBJECTS  OF  TILLAGE. 

Tillage  improves  the  land  in  many  ways.  It  pul- 
verizes the  soil,  allowing  air  to  enter  and  make  available 
the  plant  food.  It  gives  the  roots  a wider  pasture.  It 
saves  moisture.  It  is  practiced  to  prevent  the  growth  of 
weeds  and  other  vegetation  not  desired  upon  the  ground. 
To  place  beneath  the  surface,  manure,  stubble  and  other 
organic  matter  where  it  will  not  be  in  the  way,  and  where 
it  may  be  converted  rapidly  into  humus.  Tillage  will 
develop  various  degrees  of  openness  of  texture  and  uni- 
formity of  soil  and  conditions  suitable  to  the  planting  of 
seeds  and  the  setting  of  plants. 

The  first  requirements  in  the  growing  of  plants  is  pro- 
per and  thorough  tillage.  It  is  more  important  than  the  ap- 
plication of  fertilizers.  By  thorough  and  careful  tillage 
good  crops  can  be  raised  on  semi-arid  regions  of  the  west 
which  have  a rainfall  of  only  a little  more  than  one-third 
our  average  rainfall. 

13 


14 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


IMPLEMENTS  USED  IN  soil  tillage. 

The  spade  and  the  plow  are  the  first  implements  to  be 
used  in  tillage. 

The  Spade,  is  made  for  entering  the  soil,  prying  it 
off  and  turning  it  over.  Its  size  and  shape  have  been  fixed 
by  experiment.  Many  sizes  are  made  according  to  the 
work  for  which  they  are  to  be  used.  It  is  heavier  and 
stronger,  then  the  shovel,  which  is  made  for  shoveling 
soft  earth.  Where  the  soil  is'  not  too  hard,  the  spading 
fork  will  spade  the  soil  easier  and  quicker. 

The  Plow,  less  than  ninety  years  ago  the  wooden 
plow  was  the  only  one  in  use.  In  1823,  an  inventor  in 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  made  the  first  cast  plow  bottom 
ever  made.  Nearly  all  plows  before  this  were  crooked 
sticks  with  a little  metal  protection. 

Joel  Nourse,  in  1825,  with  an  ox  team  took  three  hun- 
dred cast  iron  plows  from  Hartford  to  Worcester,  Mass. 
He  became  the  head  of  the  Ames  Plow  Co.,  of  Worcester, 
Massachusetts. 

Frost  Horton,  a New  York  statesman,  about  the  same 
time  began  developing  plows.  These  two  men  kept  ex- 
perimenting until  they  had  each  perfected  nearly  five  hun- 
dred different  kinds  of  plows. 

The  object  of  plowing  is  to  alter  the  texture,  forming 
from  a comparatively  hard  soil  a mellow  layer  of  earth, 
and  to  bury  beneath  the  surface,  weeds  and  other  vegeta- 
tion and  manure  that  it  may  rapidly  decay. 

Plows  vary  in  shape  according  to  the  purpose  for 
which  they  are  to  be  used.  The  Subsoil  Plow  is  one 
made  to  follow  in  the  furrow  of  the  other  plow.  It  has  a 
long  point  which  goes  twelve  or  fifteen  inches  into  the 
ground  breaking  up  the  subsoil  It  does  not  turn  up  the 
lower  soil  but  breaks  it  up. 

The  Harrow,  is  the  implement  to  follow-the  plow, 
i.  e.  to  be  used  after  the  plowing  is  done.  All  kinds  ex- 
cept the  old  spike-tooth,  are  of  recent  origin.  They  pul- 
verize the  soil  and  should  always  be  used  after  plowing. 
The  kind  of  harrow  to  be  used  depends  upon  the  work  to 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


15 


be  done.  On  sod  or  heavy  land  a disc,  wheel  or  spading 
harrow  should  be  used  to  be  followed  with  a smoothing 
harrow.  The  harrow  is  the  best  thing  to  kill  small  weeds. 
Some  kinds  can  be  used  after  the  crops  are  planted  and 
until  they  are  three  or  four  inches  high.  It  should  gener- 
ally follow  the  roller  to  break  the  capillary  attraction  and 
save  moisture. 

Hand  and  Horse  Cultivators,  act  as  harrows. 
After  the  crops  are  three  or  four  inches  high,  the  cultiva- 
tors should  be  used.  These  are  made  in  many  styles  to 
cultivate  the  crops  between  the  rows.  As  with  plows,  we 
have  both  walking  and  sulky  cultivators.  The  latter 
kind  are  best  in  the  west  and  on  large  farms.  The  teeth 
should  not  be  too  large,  and  the  cultivator,  for  the  best 
results  should  not  go  deeper  than  three  inches  in  summer . 
This  keeps  a soil  mulch  over  the  surface  at  all  times,  sav- 
ing the  moisture,  and  allows  the  crop  to  send  the  roots 
through  the  middle  of  the  rows  without  the  danger  of  being 
broken  off  as  would  be  the  case  with  deeper  tillage. 
Cultivation  at  first  may  be  deep,  but  later  should  be  shallow. 

The  PlankER,  is  used  where  a smooth  surface  is 
wanted.  It  breaks  up  the  lumps  and  leaves  the  surface 
smooth  without  firming  it  much. 

The  Roller,  to  do  good  work  should  not  be  smaller 
than  two  feet  in  diameter,  and  should  have  a weight  of  one 
hundred  pounds  to  the  foot  in  length.  It  should  be  used 
when  seed  is  sown  broadcast  for  the  same  reason  that  we 
press  the  soil  over  seed  planted  in  the  garden.  It  is  also 
useful  where  a green  crop  has  been  turned  under,  to  re- 
store capillary  attraction  with  the  soil  below.  It  should 
generally  be  followed  with  a light  harrow,  to  prevent  the 
surface  baking  and  loss  of  water. 

These  are  the  commonest  tools  used  in  tillage  aside 
from  the  hoe,  rake,  line  and  weeder  used  in  every  garden. 
Most  of  the  tools  are  used  to  loosen  the  soil  and  to  remove 
weeds. 

In  the  small  garden  the  hoe  or  rake,  should  be  used 
at  least  once  a week  to  make  a soil  mulch  between  the 


i6 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


rows.  The  soil  mulch  consists  of  a soft  loose  condition  of 
the  top  soil.  It  should  be  two  to  three  inches  deep.  The 
weeder  is  used  about  the  plants  and  between  them,  where 
there  is  not  room  for  the  hoe. 

All  weeds  near  the  plants  should  be  pulled.  A weed  is 
a plant  that  persists  in  growing  where  it  is  not  wanted. 
It  is  a robber.  It  robs  the  rightful  plants  of  moisture  and  food 
and  will  even  kill  them.  Weeds  are  best  killed,  when  first 
germinated.  Never  allow  them  to  grow. 

how  to  spade. 

The  Spade,  is  a tool  made  to  pry  with,  to  dig  up  the 
land.  It  differs  from  the  shovel  as  it  is  made  of  heavier 
material,  both  the  blade  and  handle.  A shovel  is  used 
principally  for  digging  loose  material  and  is  not  supposed 
to  be  used  for  prying.  The  blade  of  the  spade  is  made 
narrower  than  the  shovel  blade,  so  that  it  will  enter  the 
ground  more  easily.  The  blade  is  also  flatter  and  not  as 
“dishing’’  as  the  shovel  for  the  same  reason.  It  is  not 
made  for  shoveling  or  digging  loose  soil  but  for  digging 
hard  ground.  Where  the  ground  is  not  too  hard  the  spad- 
ing fork  is  superior  to  the  spade  as  it  is  lighter  and  the 
ground  can  be  spaded  faster. 

In  spading , begin  in  one  corner  of  the  plot  with  the 
back  to  the  plot.  Grasp  the  top  of  the  handle  with  the 
right  hand,  press  the  blade  of  the  spade  or  fork  vertically 
down  to  its  full  extent  with  the  foot  working  the  handle 
a little  if  necessary  where  the  ground  is  excessively  hard 
or  stony.  Then  carry  the  top  of  the  handle  backward  and 
downward  near  the  ground,  at  the  same  time  carry  the  left 
hand  down  the  handle  and  when  at  a point  about  one  foot 
from  the  blade,  lift  up  the  spade  and  soil;  turn  it  over, 
throwing  it  slightly^  forward  to  leave  a furrow.  Keep  the 
back  as  straight  as  possible  and  do  the  lifting  with  the  legs. 
Continue  working  along  the  end  of  the  plot  to  be  spaded. 
When  across  the  end,  spade  back  again,  taking  a slice  from 
five  to  ten  inches  wide.  When  the  spade-full  of  soil  is 
turned  over,  it  should  be  given  a little  throw  and  hit  with 
the  spade  or  fork  to  break  it  up.  If  the  spading  is  done 


i7 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENED. 


well,  it  will  leave  the  soil  finer  than  the  plow  does.  In 
fact  it  does  the  plowing  and  part  of  the  harrowing. 

To  Rake  the  land,  begin  at  one  corner  and  rake  to- 
wards the  center.  The  rake  should  be  used  to  level  the 
land  and  break  up  the  lumps  rather  than  to  rake  them  off. 
All  coarse  lumps  that  do  not  break  up  should  be  buried. 
Only  the  stone  and  very  coarse  matter  should  be  raked 
off.  When  raking,  lift  the  rake  slightly  when  drawing  it 
towards  you.  As  in  spading,  rake  one  end  first,  stand  on 
the  spaded  land  and  rake  towards  you.  When  smooth 
and  fine,  the  footprints  should  be  raked  out  as  you  pass 
off  the  plot.  Spading  and  raking  as  well  as  plowing  and 
harrowing  are  the  first  principals  of  tillage. 

In  using  the  Hof,  grasp  the  handle  near  the  upper 
end  in  the  right  hand,  with  the  back  of  the  hand  up. 
Grasp  it  with  the  left  hand  a foot  or  more  lower  down  with 
the  back  of  the  hand  to  the  left  and  the  thumb  extended 
along  the  handle.  Avoid  a cramped  position.  Bend  the 
bod)^  slightly  forward  on  the  hips  keeping  the  back 
straight.  Never  lift  the  hoe  higher  than  the  knee.  Left- 
handed  persons,  and  some  that  are  not,  will  find  it  easier 
to  have  the  left  hand  at  the  top.  In  this  case  the  back  of 
the  right  hand  should  be  to  the  right  and  the  thumb  along 
the  handle.  These  are  correct  positions  for  hoeing.  Bet- 


ter work  can  be 


done  and  done  eas- 
ier if  one  of  these 
positions  is  always 
used.  If  the  regu- 
lar 4 feet  io  inch 
hoe  handle  is  used, 
the  child  should 
grasp  the  handle 
from  12  to  18  inches 
from  the  end. 


The  Rake  is  held 
similar  to  the  hoe 


A corner  in  the  tool  room. 

Cut  loaned  by  Doubleday,  Page  & Co. 


i8 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


but  the  handle  is  allowed  to  slide  through  the  hands 
more. 

When  not  in  use  all  tools  should  he  cleaned  and  hung  up. 
Have  a place  for  everything  and  keep  everything  cleaned  and 
in  its  place,  it  will  pay. 


Modern  Plows, 


CHAPTER  IV. 

HOW  TO  TEST  SEEDS. 

OWING  to  the  great  importance  of  having  good  seed  to 
plant,  it  is  wise  to  test  the  seed  before  planting,  to 
determine  the  percentage  of  live  seeds.  Eighty-five  to 
ninety  five  per  cent,  of  seeds  that  will  start  is  a good  aver- 
age for  No.  i seed.  Take  an  average  sample,  count  out 
ioo  seeds  and  place  them  in  a seed  germinator.  In  the 
absence  of  a germinator  a simple  one  can  be  made  as  fol- 
lows: take  an  old  uncracked  kitchen  plate,  cut  two  pieces 
of  thick  cloth  or  blotting  paper,  the  size  of  the  inner  part 
of  the  plate,  wet  thoroughly  and  drain  them.  Put  one 
piece  of  cloth  on  the  plate,  and  scatter  the  seeds  evenly 
over  it,  cover  them  with  the  second  cloth.  Put  a piece  of 
glass  or  another  plate  over  it,  to  prevent  evaporation  and 
set  in  a warm  place.  Examine  frequently.  If  ioo  seeds 
are  used,  the  number  of  seeds  that  sprout  will  be  the  per- 
centage of  viable  seeds.  These  sprouted  seeds  make  fine 
specimens  for  germination  studies.  It  is  well  to  test  all 
seeds. 

The  following  is  a good  form  for  a seed  testing  blank: 

i Name  of  Seed,  


No.  of  Seeds  in  Germinator, When  put  in  (Date) 


Date. 

No.  of  Seeds 
Sprouted. 

No.  of  Seeds  not 
Sprouted. 

Per  cent,  of  Seed 

S nrouted. 

Source  of  Seed, 

Total  percent  of  seed  sprouted, 

Remarks  

Tested  by 


T9 


20 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


The  seeds  that  are  last  to  germinate  in  the  germina- 
tors  often  fail  entirely  in  the  soil. 

Germination  is  the  sprouting  of  the  seed.  It  is  not 
complete  until  the  young  plantlet  is  established  in  the  soil. 

Monocotyledonous  plants,  those  with  one  seed  leaf, 
push  their  heads  straight  up.  That  is  why  they  are  so 
small.  The  little  plant  exists  in  the  seed.  The  tiny 
leaves  and  stems  are  present,  but  the  roots  are  lacking. 
Most  seeds  contain  plenty  of  plant  food  to  get  the  young 
plants  well  started  in  life. 


Germinating  seeds  in  a seed  tester. 


CHAPTER  V. 

HOW  TO  PLANT. 

A GARDEN  should  not  be  planted  until  the  soil  is  thor- 
oughly prepared.  It  is  better  to  plant  a few  days  late 
than  to  put  the  seed  or  plants  into  poorly  prepared  soil. 
A sandy  loam  can  be  planted  a week  earlier  than  a medium 
or  heavy  loam.  A southern  slope  of  450  to  6c>°,  increases 
the  earliness  of  the  soil  a week  over  the  same  kind  of  soil 
on  level  ground. 

Thus  radishes,  which  should  be  planted  about  May 
1st,  in  medium  or  heavy  loam  in  the  latitude  of  Hartford, 
could  safely  be  planted  on  April  16th  on  sandy  loam  slop- 
ing to  the  south.  Large  seeds  germinate  quicker  if  they 
are  soaked  for  a few  hours  in  warm  water  at  temperature 
not  exceeding  120°  F.  They  should  not  be  soaked  longer 
than  twelve  hours  and  the  soaking  of  the  seed  should  im- 
mediately precede  the  planting.  With  the  land  thorough- 
ly prepared,  the  plans  decided  upon,  planting  should  be- 
gin as  soon  as  the  temperature  is  suitable. 

PLANTING  DIRECTIONS. 

Beans,  Bush.  Dwarf  Horticultural  Shell  Beans, 
Cranberry  Beans,  Wax  String  Beans,  and  Giant  Pod 
Valentine  String  Beans. 

These  are  among  the  best.  These  grow  from  12  to  30 
inches  high  and  have  pods  which  enclose  the  seeds.  In 
the  Shell  Bean  varieties  the  seeds  or  beans  are  taken  out 
of  the  pods  and  boiled  and  eaten  alone,  or  with  corn  as 
succotash.  The  Horticultural  beans  are  picked  when  the 
pods  are  striped  with  red.  The  pods  of  the  string  beans 
are  eaten  and  should  be  picked  before  they  become  tough. 
A good  way  to  tell  when  they  are  ready  is  to  bend  them  in 
the  shape  of  the  letter  U,  they  should  snap. 

Plant  all  Bush  varieties  in  rows  not  closer  than  two 
feet  apart.  Dig  a furrow  three  inches  deep  and  sprinkle 


21 


22 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


a pint  of  wood  ashes  or  one-half  pint  of  sulphate  of  potash 
or  bone  dust,  into  the  furrow  to  every  ten  feet.  Mix  this 
into  the  soil  with  a weeder  or  with  a point  of  the  hoe. 
When  this  is  done  the  furrow  will  be  about  one  inch  deep. 
Place  the  beans  three  or  four  inches  apart  in  the  furrow, 
one  bean  in  a place,  cover  with  the  fine  soil,  and  press 
down  with  the  back  of  the  hoe.  It  will  take  them  between 
one  and  two  weeks  to  come  up.  The  two  halves  of  the 
bean  furnishes  food  for  the  young  plant,  they  are  first  to 
come  above  the  soil.  The  soil  should  be  kept  well-tilled 
at  all  times,  but  avoid  handling  the  vines  on  wet  days. 
The  beans  will  be  ready  to  eat  in  from  six  to  nine  weeks 
after  planting.  Any  of  the  Bush  beans  can  be  planted 
from  May  ioth  to  July  ist. 

Beans,  Bush  Lima.  Bush  Lima  Beans  are  planted 
the  same  as  the  other  varieties  of  dwarf  beans,  except, 
each  bean  is  put  four  to  six  inches  apart  in  furrow.  The 
pods  should  be  picked  when  the  beans  in  them  are  about 
the  size  of  a twenty-five  cent  piece.  They  are  generally 
considered  much  nicer  than  the  ordinary  shell  bean.  Bush 
Lima  Beans  continue  to  blossom  and  bear  pods  until  frost 
comes.  They  should  be  planted  about  May  ioth.  If 
planted  before  the  soil  is  warm,  they  will  never  germinate. 
It  will  take  them  three  to  six  days  longer  than  the  other 
beans  to  come  up. 

Beans,  Pole.  The  furrows  for  Pole  Beans  are  made 
not  closer  than  three  feet  apart.  The  pole  should  be  firmly 
set,  before  the  beans  are  planted  and  then  four  or  five 
beans  planted  in  circle  around  it.  These  should  be  covered 
about  one  inch,  leaving  the  land  level  after  the  beans  are 
planted.  One  pint  of  wood  ashes,  or  one-half  pint  of  sul- 
phate of  potash  or  ground  bone,  should  be  worked  into 
the  hills  at  the  rate  of  about  one  pint  of  wood  ashes  to 
every  ten  feet  of  row.  Pole  beans  of  any  kind  generally 
yield  more  than  the  Bush  beans.  If  the  first  that  ma- 
ture are  picked,  they  will  continue  to  bear.  They  should 
be  planted  at  the  same  time  as  Bush  beans,  but  it  will  take 
them  one  or  two  weeks  longer,  before  they  are  ready  to  eat. 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


23 


Beets.  Crosby’s  Egyptian,  or  any  table  variety. 
Beets  can  be  planted  in  rows  one  foot  apart.  If  the  ground 
is  not  rich,  hoe  a half-pint  of  market-garden  fertilizer  or  a 
mixture  of  nitrate  of  soda,  and  super-phosphate  into  the 
soil  in  which  they  are  to  be  planted,  to  every  ten  feet  of 
row.  Make  a furrow  one  inch  deep  and  drop  the  seed,  one 
to  two  inches  apart,  cover  with  fine  soil,  and  press  down. 
They  will  be  up  in  about  six  days  and  when  they  are  four 
inches  high  they  should  be  thinned  to  about  three  inches 
apart,  using  those  that  are  pulled  out  to  transplant  or  for 
greens.  When  they  are  transplanted,  be  sure  to  make  holes 
deep  enough,  so  that  the  end  of  the  roots  do  not  turn  up,  and 
twist  off  all  the  leaves  except  the  center  ones.  Always 
keep  the  soil  in  a perfect  state  of  tillage.  Beets  are  cul- 
tivated for  their  roots,  which  are  best  when  one  to  two 
inches  in  diameter.  They  can  be  planted  from  about 
April  30th,  to  July  10th.  They  are  ready  to  eat  in  from 
eight  to  twelve  weeks  after  planting. 

Brussels  Sprouts.  These  should  be  planted  in 
rows  two  feet  apart.  They  do  best  on  new  land.  Make  a 
furrow  one  inch  deep  and  drop  three  or  four  seeds  every 
18  inches.  Cover  with  fine  soil  and  press  down.  They 
will  come  up  in  about  six  days.  Brussels  Sprouts  are  cul- 
tivated for  the  buds  which  are  in  the  axils  of  the  leaves. 
They  are  milder  than  the  cabbage  and  are  boiled  and 
served  with  a cream  sauce.  They  are  ready  to  eat  in  about 
twenty-one  weeks  after  planting  and  are  best  after  they 
have  been  touched  by  the  frost.  They,  like  all  the  cab- 
bage family,  do  not  do  well  in  hot  weather.  They  make 
their  final  growth  in  the  cool  months  in  autumn.  Before 
the  ground  freezes  they  can  be  pulled  up  and  packed  up- 
right with  their  roots  in  moist  sand,  and  in  this  condition 
can  be  kept  in  a cool  cellar  or  pit  nearly  all  winter. 

Broccoli.  Should  be  planted  about  May  20th.  The 
seed  is  covered  one  inch  and  the  rows  are  not  closer  than 
two  feet  apart,  and  the  plants,  eighteen  inches  in  the  row. 
They  are  treated  almost  exactly  as  Brussels  Sprouts  in 
every  way.  The  heads  resemble  Cauliflower  and  are 


24 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


served  similar  to  it.  They  are  purple  instead  of  white. 
They  are  ready  to  eat  in  about  twenty-one  weeks  after 
planting. 

Cabbage.  All  Seasons  and  Jersey  Wakefield,  are 
among  the  best  early.  Cabbages  are  grown  for  their 
leaves  which  form  a head,  which  becomes  very  solid.  It 
is  boiled  and  eaten,  or  eaten  raw  in  many  different  ways. 
The  early  crop  should  be  planted  in  March  in  a shallow 
box  in  the  window  garden,  or  in  the  hot-bed.  The  seeds 
are  covered  about  one-half  inch.  They  can  be  set  out,  one 
plant  in  a place  in  rows,  two  to  three  feet  apart  and  eight- 
een to  twenty- four  inches  apart  in  the  row.  The  seed  will 
be  up  in  about  six  days.  The  young  plants  are  best  trans- 
planted when  the  fourth  leaf  has  formed.  They  will  stand 
frost,  but  should  not  be  put  out  of  doors  when  it  is  likely 
to  freeze.  They  do  best  on  new  ground.  They  can  be 
planted  outside  from  April  30th  to  June  15th.  The  easiest 
way  to  grow  them  in  the  garden  is  to  plant  three  or  four 
seeds  in  hills  two  feet  apart.  To  make  a hill,  drop  a pint 
of  wood  ashes  in  the  row  every  two  feet  and  work  it  well 
into  the  soil  with  the  weeder  or  hoe,  leaving  the  soil  one- 
half  inch  lower  than  the  rest  of  the  garden.  Drop  three 
or  four  seeds  and  cover  one-half  inch;  press  down.  When 
the  cabbages  are  well  up  they  should  be  thinned  to  one 
plant  in  a place.  The  rows  cannot  be  closer  than  two  feet. 
It  is  very  important  that  the  cabbage  be  frequently  hoed. 
Stirring  the  soil  every  few  days  will  pay  well. 

Carrots.  Chantenay,  Danvers,  Half  Dong  Orange, 
Earliest  Scarlet  Forcing  are  among  the  best  varieties. 
These  are  cultivated  for  their  roots.  They  should  be 
planted  in  rows  twelve  inches  apart  and  one  inch  deep. 
The  seeds  should  be  planted  fairly  thick  as  they  do  not 
always  germinate  well.  It  is  not  generally  good  the  second 
year.  A rich,  deep  loam  is  best.  The  land  should  be  pre- 
pared the  same  as  for  Beets.  When  well  up  they  should 
be  thinned  to  three  inches  apart. 

Cauliflower.  Early  Snowball,  and  Early  Dwarf 
Erfurt  are  among  the  best.  Plant  the  seed  in  boxes  in  the 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


25 


window-garden  or  hot-bed,  any  time  from  March  1st  to 
June  15th.  When  the  fourth  leaf  has  formed,  the  plants 
should  be  set  out  in  rows,  two  feet  apart  and  not  closer 
than  two  feet  apart  in  the  row.  The  ground  should  al- 
ways be  kept  in  a thorough  state  of  tillage  about  the 
plants  and  it  is  well  to  hoe  them  in  the  morning  when  the 
dew  is  on.  When  the  head  begins  to  form,  the  long  leaves 
should  be  tied  over  it  to  keep  it  white.  Cauliflower  like 
all  the  cabbage  family,  do  best  in  cool  weather  and  will 
grow  rapidly  if  they  come  to  the  head  during  the  summer. 
They  will  mature  in  from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  weeks. 
They  will  stand  frost. 

Celery.  Paris  Golden,  White  Plume,  and  Boston 
Market  are  among  the  best  garden  varieties.  The  seed 
should  be  sown  in  a hot-bed  or  window  box  from  April 
10th  to  May  20th.  The  box  should  have  lumps  in  the 
bottom  for  drainage  and  the  upper  part  should  be 
filled  with  fine  soil.  Seed  should  be  evenly  sowed  over 
the  surface  and  covered  one-fourth  inch.  When  the  third 
or  fourth  leaf  has  formed,  the  celery  should  be  transplanted 
into  the  hot-bed  or  other  boxes  twro  inches  apart  each 
way.  From  this  the  plants  should  be  set  in  the  garden, 
in  rows  four  or  five  feet  apart  and  eight  inches  apart  in  the 
row.  They  can  be  set  as  late  as  July  15th,  on  land  that 
has  borne  a crop  of  peas.  A crop  of  peas,  radishes,  let- 
tuce, onion-sets  or  even  beans  may  be  grown  between  the 
rows  of  celery.  The  seed  germinates  very  slowly  and  may 
not  be  up  for  a month.  New  seed  should  always  be  used. 
Celery  is  ready  to  eat  from  twenty  to  forty  weeks  after 
planting.  In  the  fall  it  should  be  banked  up  and  just  be- 
fore the  ground  freezes,  it  should  be  dug  and  packed  in 
pits  or  in  the  cellar  and  the  roots  covered  with  moist  sand. 
If  packed  in  the  cellar  it  should  have  the  coolest  part  and 
packed  as  close  as  possible  and  handled  only  when  dry. 
Properly  packed  it  will  keep  all  winter  and  can  be  used  at 
any  time. 

CEEERiAC.  This  is  used  in  flavoring  soups  and  is 
grown  for  the  fleshly  root  which  matures  like  turnip.  It 


26 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


can  be  grown  the  same  as  celery  or  the  seed  may  be  sown 
in  the  garden,  in  rows  two  feet  apart  and  the  plants 
thinned  to  eight  inches  apart.  As  it  does  not  germinate 
readily,  it  is  best  to  start  the  plants  in  boxes  and  trans- 
plant them. 

Sweet  Corn.  Early  Cory,  Squantum,  and  Country 
Gentleman  are  among  the  best  varieties  and  will  mature 
according  to  the  order  in  which  they  are  named.  It  is 
well  to  plant  a few  rows  of  the  early,  and  then  make 
several  plantings  of  the  Country  Gentleman  so  as  to  have 
sweet  corn  from  July  until  frost  comes.  To  get  the  most 
from  the  land,  plant  in  rows,  two  and  a half  feet  or  three 
feet  apart,  putting  three  kernels  every  six  inches,  and 
pulling  out  all  but  one  as  soon  as  the  corn  is  well  up.  The 
suckers  around  the  roots  should  be  kept  removed.  Corn 
should  be  planted  on  the  north  end  of  the  garden  or  in 
such  a way  as  to  prevent  shading  lower  plants.  It  grows 
from  five  to  eight  feet  high.  Squantum  or  Country  Gentle- 
man corn  planted  on  or  before  June  ist,  will  be  in  condi- 
tion to  eat,  when  school  opens  in  autumn,  if  it  has  had 
care  during  the  summer.  Corn  will  be  ready  from  ten  to 
twenty  weeks  after  planting,  according  to  the  kind.  Seeds 
should  be  covered  one  inch  and  the  land  should  be  rich  in 
potash.  It  is  well  to  hoe  a pint  of  wood  ashes  or  a half 
pint  of  sulphate  of  potash  into  every  ten  feet  of  row  before 
planting.  It  is  not  generally  wise  to  plant  field  and  pop 
corn  in  the  same  garden  as  it  will  mix,  the  pollen  being 
carried  by  the  wind. 

Corn  Salad.  Corn  Salad  is  a salad  plant  for  sum- 
mer use.  Sow  May  ist,  in  rows  twelve  inches  apart  and 
thin  the  plants  to  six  inches  in  the  row.  The  trench  should 
be  made  one-half  inch  deep.  It  is  grown  for  the  leaves 
which  are  used  for  salad.  It  can  also  be  planted  in 
September  for  winter  or  early  spring  salad  in  which  case 
it  must  be  covered  with  straw  on  the  approach  of  winter. 

Cress.  Garden  Cress  should  be  planted  in  furrows, 
twelve  inches  apart  and  one-half  inch  deep.  The  plants 
should  be  thinned  to  six  inches  apart  in  the  rows.  It 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


27 


should  be  planted  in  the  garden  about  April  30th,  and 
the  crop  will  be  ready  to  eat  in  about  five  or  six  weeks. 
The  leaves  are  eaten  as  a relish  and  used  as  a salad. 

CucumbKR.  White  Spine  is  one  of  the  best  for  table 
use.  Early  Cluster,  Ever  Bearing,  Windsor  Pickling  are 
good  pickling  varieties.  The  cucumber  grows  on  a vine 
and  should  not  be  planted  in  very  small  gardens,  unless 
along  a fence  where  it  can  climb.  It  can  be  planted  be- 
side a rubbish  heap  or  a pile  of  stones  to  good  advantage. 
It  belongs  to  the  same  family  as  the  canteloupe,  water- 
melon, pumpkin,  and  squash,  which  are  all  planted  the 
same  way.  They  should  be  planted  in  hills  not  closer 
than  four  or  five  feet  apart,  although  they  may  be  planted 
nearer  to  early  beans  or  early  potatoes  or  any  crop  which 
will  be  out  of  the  way  before  the  vines  begin  to  run.  The 
vines  are  generally  allowed  to  run  on  the  ground.  They 
are  planted  in  hills.  To  make  a hill , dig  a hole  from  four 
to  five  inches  deep  and  one  foot  in  diameter.  Fill  this 
within  one  inch  of  the  top  with  a mixture  of  sand  and  well- 
rotted  manure.  Drop  eight  to  ten  seeds  in  a hill,  scatter- 
ing them  over  it.  Cover  them  half  to  one  inch  and  press 
down.  When  planted  in  this  way  they  get  a quick  start. 
Never  plant  until  the  ground  is  thoroughly  warm,  about 
May  25th.  It  is  well  to  keep  the  vines  covered  with  a 
frame  of  mosquito  netting  until  the  fourth  leaf  has  formed, 
then  thin  the  plants  to  three  or  four  in  a hill.  In  warm 
weather  they  come  up  and  grow  rapidly.  They  begin 
bearing  in  from  eight  to  ten  weeks  after  planting. 

Dandkuion.  The  dandelion  may  be  planted  in  the 
spring  or  in  August  or  the  first  of  September.  The  former 
time  will  give  the  largest  plants  the  following  spring. 
Plant  in  rows  about  April  30th,  twelve  to  twenty-four 
inches  apart  and  thin  the  plants  to  six  or  eight  inches 
apart.  They  should  be  up  in  about  eight  days.  It  is  jest 
to  plant  these  in  the  sunniest  part  of  the  garden  and  to 
cover  them  in  the  early  spring  with  sash  so  as  to  get  very 
early  greens.  They  should  be  planted  in  gardens  that  are 
to  remain  for  two  or  three  years.  In  case  they  are  not  all 


28 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


used  in  the  early  spring,  they  should  be  kept  mowed  to 
prevent  their  going  to  seed  as  they  may  become  a trouble- 
some weed.  They  are  used  not  only  for  greens,  but  also 
blanched  and  used  for  a salad.  The  seeds  should  be 
lightly  covered  and  the  plants  kept  in  a good  state  of  til- 
lage. It  is  not  a plant  to  grow  in  the  School  Garden. 

Egg  Plant.  Egg  Plants  grow  on  bushes  from 
twelve  to  eighteen  inches  high.  The  fruit  is  purple  and 
should  be  picked  when  it  is  about  two  or  three  inches  in 
diameter.  The  seeds  should  be  planted  in  boxes  in  the 
window  garden  or  in  the  hot-bed  in  February  or  as  soon  as 
the  first  of  March.  Cover  about  quarter  of  an  inch.  When 
the  third  or  fourth  leaves  are  formed,  they  should  be  potted 
into  two  and  a half  inch  pots  and  later  repotted  into  four 
inch  pots.  They  should  be  transplanted  into  the  open 
ground  about  the  first  of  June.  The  ground  should  be 
made  very  rich.  They  should  be  set  about  two  feet  apart 
in  the  row  with  the  rows  two  and  one  half  or  three  feet 
apart.  In  setting  them,  make  a hole  so  the  plant  can  be 
set  a little  lower  than  it  was  growing  in  the  pot.  To  re- 
move it  from  the  pot  place  the  fingers  over  the  pot,  so  that 
the  plant  comes  between  the  first  and  second  fingers, 
invert  it,  and  thump  it  lightly  on  the  table,  bench, 
or  spade,  and  the  plant  will  be  readily  removed. 
Crumble  the  upper  and  lower  edges  slightly,  place  it  in 
the  hole  and  press  the  fine  soil  about  the  ball  of  earth 
firmly  with  the  ends  of  the  fingers.  If  it  is  dry  it  is  best 
to  water.  You  can  begin  cutting  the  fruit  in  about  fifteen 
weeks  after  planting  and  they  will  continue  bearing  until 
frost.  The  Egg  Plant  like  the  tomato  furnishes  an  oppor- 
tunity for  lessons  in  potting  and  repotting. 

Endive.  For  an  early  crop  start  in  the  hot-bed  or 
window  garden  and  transplant  the  same  as  the  egg  plant 
in  rows  twelve  inches  apart  with  the  plants  twelve  inches 
apart  in  the  row.  For  the  later  crop  sow  from  May  ist  to 
July  30th,  in  the  garden,  in  furrows,  one-half  inch  deep. 
It  germinates  readily  and  will  be  up  in  four  to  six  days. 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


29 


It  is  cultivated  for  the  leaves  which  are  used  for  salad. 
When  well  grown,  tie  the  ends  of  the  leaves  to  blanch  the 
center  with  a soft  material.  It  should  be  used  about  two 
weeks  after  tieing. 

Kale.  Kale  is  planted  in  rows  eighteen  to  twenty- 
four  inches  apart,  and  thinned  to  twelve  inches  apart  in 
the  row.  It  is  planted  one-half  inch  deep  and  can  be 
planted  at  any  time  from  April  30th  to  June  1st.  It  is  used 
for  greens  and  is  best  after  it  has  been  touched  by  the 
frost.  It  belongs  to  the  cabbage  family  and  makes  its 
best  growth  in  the  cool  part  of  the  year. 

Kohl  Rabi.  Sow  in  furrows,  twelve  to  eighteen 
inches  apart,  cover  the  seed  one-half  inch  and  thin  the 
plants  to  six  inches  apart.  They  will  be  up  in  five  to  six 
days.  Plant  from  May  1st  to  July  1st.  The  bulb  is  formed 
on  the  stem,  just  above  the  ground;  it  is  cooked  and  served 
the  same  as  turnip,  but  tastes  similar  to  cabbage,  only 
milder.  They  are  best  when  not  more  than  two  inches 
through.  If  they  stand  long  after  they  reach  this  size,  they 
become  tough.  They  are  ready  to  eat  in  from  twelve  to 
fourteen  weeks  after  planting.  They  can  be  stored  in  a 
cool  cellar,  and  for  a winter  crop  should  be  planted  as  late 
as  July  1st. 

Lettuce.  There  are  two  kinds  of  Lettuce;  the  Cos 
and  the  Head  Lettuce.  The  Head  Lettuce  forms  a head 
like  cabbage.  The  Hartford  Bronzed  head,  Big  Boston, 
White  and  Black  seeded  Tennis-ball,  and  Hanson  make 
large  and  fine  heads.  Used  for  salad  and  table  use.  Let- 
tuce can  be  planted  in-doors,  the  same  as  Endive  and 
transplanted  to  the  garden,  May  10th,  or  it  may  be  sown 
in  the  garden  any  time  after  May  1st  to  July  10th.  Pre- 
pare the  land  the  same  as  for  beets,  make  a trench  one-half 
inch  deep  and  sow  two  or  three  seeds  every  four  to  six 
inches.  Cover  and  press  down.  When  the  plants  are 
well  up,  thin  them  to  six  inches  apart.  Keep  the  soil  well- 
tilled  around  the  plants,  and  as  soon  as  they  crowd,  take 
out  every  other  one  for  table  use.  In  warm  weather,  let- 
tuce runs  quickly  to  seed,  and  should  be  cut  as  soon  as  the 


30 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


heads  are  well  formed.  The  heads  are  ready  for  the  table 
in  from  eight  to  twelve  weeks  after  being  planted.  Let- 
tuce in  the  summer  is  not  quite  as  good,  but  if  planted  the 
first  of  July,  a fine  autumn  crop  may  be  obtained. 

Leek.  Sow  in  rows,  twelve  inches  apart,  about  April 
25th,  cover  one  inch,  and  when  the  plants  are  well  up, 
thin  to  three  inches  apart.  When  eight  or  ten  inches  high, 
hill  up  to  blanch  the  stalks.  They  will  be  ready  to  eat 
from  sixteen  to  twenty  weeks  after  sowing  the  seed. 

Mustard.  White  English  is  the  best  table  variety. 
The  leaves  are  used  for  greens  or  for  salads.  It  is  culti- 
vated the  same  as  Cress. 

Melons.  Both  Musk  and  Water  Melons  are  treated 
almost  exactly  the  same  as  Cucumbers  in  the  garden.  For 
cultural  directions,  see  cucumber. 

Okra.  For  an  early  crop  of  Okra,  the  seeds  may  be 
planted  inside,  in  March,  and  the  plants  treated  the  same 
as  Egg  Plant.  Out  of  doors  the  seeds  should  be  planted 
about  May  20th,  in  rows  two  and  one-half  to  three  feet 
apart.  The  seeds  should  be  covered  one  inch  and  the 
plants  should  be  thinned  to  eighteen  to  twenty-four  inches 
in  the  row.  The  seed  pods  are  stewed  and  also  used  in 
soup.  It  will  be  ready  to  eat  in  twelve  to  fourteen  weeks 
after  planting. 

Onions.  Onions  form  a true  bulb  and  are  used  in 
medicine  as  well  as  for  table  use.  Sow  the  seeds  as  early 
as  the  ground  can  be  thoroughly  prepared.  Hoe  a little 
lime  or  sulphur  into  the  soil  where  the  row  is  to  be.  Make 
a furrow  one  inch,  and  press  down  over  the  seeds  with  a 
flat  board  or  block.  When  the  little  plants  are  three  inches 
high  thin  them  out  to  three  inches  apart. 

Parsley.  It  is  cultivated  for  the  leaves  which  are 
fine  and  feathery  in  appearance.  It  is  used  for  garnishing 
meats  and  flavoring  soups.  It  is  a biennial  and  will  make 
an  attractive  plant  for  the  window  garden  all  through  the 
winter.  It  is  hardy  and  will  stand  freezing.  It  adds  to  a 
bouquet  of  flowers.  It  is  better  to  sow  the  seeds  in  a box  in 
the  window  garden.  For  this  purpose  mix  one  part  soil  and 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


31 


two  parts  sand.  Mix  well  and  sift,  placing  lumps  in  the 
bottom  of  the  box  for  drainage.  Fill  the  box  nearly  half 
full  of  lumps,  broken  pots  or  pieces  of  brick;  then  put  in 


A set  of  Sieves. 


A,  half  inch  Mesh;  b,  one-fourth  inch  Mesh;  c flour  Sieve.  Buy  the 
woven  wire  and  any  boy  can  make  the  first  two  sieves. 

Get  the  other  at  the  hardware  store. 

Cut  loaned  by  Doubleday,  Page  & Co.,  N.  Y. 


the  fine  soil,  pressing  down  the  corners  with  the  fingers. 
Heap  the  soil  up  on  the  box,  and  with  a smooth  stick 
scrape  it  off  level.  Place  the  seeds  in  the  left  hand  and 
with  the  thumb  and  fingers  of  the  right  hand  scatter  the 
seed  evenly  over  the  surface  of  the  soil.  Cover  all,  sift- 
ing a little  dry  soil  through  a flour  sieve  over  the  seeds, 
not  more  than  one-eighth  or  one-sixteenth  inch  in  thick- 
ness. Press  down  firmly  and  evenly  with  a block  or  board; 
put  in  the  window  garden  and  sprinkle  with  water  thor- 
oughly. Do  not  allow  the  soil  to  dry  up.  When  the  young 
plants  are  up  well,  they  may  be  transplanted  into  pots  or 
other  boxes.  For  this,  mix  one  part  of  soil,  one  part  of 
sand  and  one  part  of  well-rotted  manure  together.  Place  a 
piece  of  broken  earthenware  in  the  bottom  of  the  pot  for 
drainage,  then  fill  the  pot  about  one-third  full  of  the  mixed 
soil;  then  holding  the  plant  in  the  left  hand  so  that  it  is  in 
the  center  of  the  pot,  fill  evenly  on  all  sides;  press  down 
firmly  but  not  too  hard,  thump  the  pot  on  the  bench  or 
table  to  settle  the  soil;  take  it  to  the  window  garden  and 
sprinkle  it,  placing  it  in  partial  shade  for  a day  or  two. 
Nearly  all  seeds  can  be  planted  and  potted  in  this  way. 


32 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


A lesson  in  potting. 

These  plants  can  be  set  out  in  the  garden  six  inches  apart. 
Always  keep  the  ground  in  a good  state  of  cultivation 
around  them. 

Parsnip.  Champion  Hollow  Crown  is  one  of  the  best 
varieties.  It  should  be  planted  in  the  garden  about  May 
ioth,  in  rows  twelve  inches  apart.  The  furrows  should  be 
made  one  inch  deep.  The  seed  will  be  up  in  about  two 
weeks.  As  soon  as  they  are  about  four  inches  high,  they 
should  be  thinned  to  three  to  four  inches  apart  in  the  row. 
Parsnips  are  best,  if  they  can  remain  in  the  ground  through 
the  winter,  being  dug  as  needed.  They  are  much  sweeter 
after  they  have  been  frozen.  The  soil  should  be  deep  and 
thoroughly  prepared,  the  same  as  for  beets. 

Peppers.  Peppers  of  all  kinds  should  be  planted  in 
the  window  garden,  or  hot  bed  about  February  15th,  and 
treated  in  every  way  the  same  as  parsley  or  egg  plant,  un- 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


33 


til  they  are  set  out.  They  should  be  set  out  in  rows, 
twelve  inches  apart,  and  twelve  inches  apart  in  the  row. 
The  peppers  will  be  ready  to  pick  in  about  twenty  weeks 
after  planting. 

PEAS.  Little  Gem  or  any  of  the  dwarf  varieties;  if 
they  can  be  planted  against  the  fence,  where  they  have 
support,  the  Stratagem,  Champion  of  England  and  Tele- 
phone are  among  the  best.  The  Little  Gem  is  one  of  the 
best  for  the  garden.  Peas  are  raisedfor  the  peas  which  grow 
in  pods,  and  are  best  when  they  are  about  the  size  of  buck- 
shot. The  land  is  prepared  the  same  as  for  beans,  except 
that  the  trench  is  made  four  inches  deep,  instead  of  three, 
and  the  peas  are  covered  one  inch.  Leave  the  surface 
above  them  about  two  inches  lower  than  the  surrounding 
garden.  When  they  come  up,  the  ground  is  gradually 
filled  in  until  it  is  level.  All  of  the  dwarf  varieties  should 
mature  in  from  six  to  eight  weeks  after  planting.  Look  for 
the  nitrogen  traps  on  the  roots. 

Potatoes.  Potatoes  belong  to  a different  class  of 
vegetables,  in  that  the  part  that  is  eaten  is  a tuber,  a 
thickened  underground  stem.  The  land  is  prepared  by 
making  a trench  four  inches  deep,  and  hoeing  one-half 
pint  of  commercial  fertilizers  into  each  ten-foot  row.  The 
potatoes  are  cut  so  that  there  are  two  eyes  to  each  piece. 
Place  these  pieces  te.n  to  twelve  inches  apart  in  the  trench, 
and  cover  them  about  two  inches.  When  the  plants  are 
up,  keep  the  ground  well  tilled  about  them,  and  as  they 
grow,  heap  up  the  soil,  making  a broad  hill.  Potatoes  are 
about  the  only  plants  that  it  is  usually  wise  under  ordinary 
conditions  to  hill  up.  Watch  for  the  potato  beetle,  which 
should  be  killed  as  fast  as  found.  Rows  of  potatoes,  like 
peas  and  beans,  should  not  be  closer  than  two  to  two  and 
one-half  feet  apart.  Potatoes  develop  underneath  the 
ground;  they  are  not  roots,  hut  tubers.  The  eyes  correspond 
to  the  buds  that  you  find  on  stems  above  ground.  They 
contain  a large  amount  of  starch,  and  are  used  in  starch 
factories,  as  well  as  for  table  use.  Always  keep  the  ground 
free  from  weeds  and  in  a good  state  of  tillage. 


34 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


Pumpkins.  Pumpkinsshould  not  be  planted  in  the  gar- 
den, only  around  the  edges  or  in  the  corn,  or  where  they 
may  run  over  fences  and  piles  of  stones.  They  are  treated 
in  every  way  for  garden  culture  as  cucumbers,  which  see. 

Radish.  Hoe  one-half  pint  of  market  garden  fertilizer 
or  a mixture  of  nitrate  of  soda  and  super-phosphate  into 
the  soil  where  the  radishes  are  to  be  planted.  Make  a 
trench  one-half  inch  deep,  sow  the  seeds  one  inch  apart, 
cover  with  fine  soil  and  press  down.  All  turnip  shaped 
varieties  of  radish  will  mature  in  three  to  five  weeks,  and 
the  longer  varieties  in  five  to  ten  weeks.  The  radish  is 
grown  for  its  root,  which  is  for  table  use.  It  belongs 
to  the  same  class  as  turnips,  parsnips  and  beets,  all  of 
which  should  be  planted  in  rows  at  least  one  foot  apart. 
Radishes  can  be  planted  continuously  and  alwa37s  insure  a 
crop. 

Salsify.  Salsify  or  Oyster  Plant  should  be  planted 
about  May  ioth,  in  the  garden,  in  rows  twelve  inches  apart 
and  should  be  treated  in  every  way  the  same  as  parsnips. 

Spinach.  Spinach  is  cultivated  for  the  leaves  and 
should  be  planted  about  April  25th.  It  should  be  treated 
the  same  as  beets. 

Summer  Squash.  Summer  Squash  is  treated  in  the 
garden  the  same  as  cucumber,  which  see. 

Tomatoes.  Tomatoes  grow  on  bushes  from  eighteen 
to  sixty  inches  high,  according  to  the  kind  and  the  manner 
of  training.  The  fruit  is  red  or  yellow  and  is  for  table 
use,  both  raw  and  cooked.  The  plant  yields  heavily  and 
is  generally  one  of  the  best  plants  for  the  garden.  They 
should  not  be  planted  closer  than  three  feet  apart  in  the 
row  and  the  rows  should  be  at  least  three  feet  from  any 
other  crop,  except  radishes  which  can  be  planted  within 
two  or  even  one  foot  of  them  when  the  plants  are  first  set 
out.  The  seeds  should  be  planted  the  last  of  February  or 
the  first  of  March,  in  the  window  garden  or  hot-bed,  the 
same  as  egg  plant.  The  plants  are  potted  into  three-inch 
pots  as  soon  as  the  third  leaf  is  formed.  They  make  nice 
plants  for  setting  out  in  the  garden  about  May  15th.  In 


Two  kinds  of  measuring  learned  in  gardening. 

Photo  by  Edward  Mahoney. 


36 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


setting  them,  dig  a hole  so  that  the  plant  can  be  set  one  to 
two  inches  lower  than  it  was  growing  in  the  pot.  Put  the 
plant  into  the  hole  and  press  the  loose  soil  firmly  about 
the  ball  of  earth.  If  the  weather  is  dry,  water  when  setting. 
Stake  the  plants  about  July  ist. 

Turnip.  The  early  crop  of  turnips  should  be  planted 
about  April  30th  while  the  late  crop  should  be  planted 
about  July  25th.  They  are  planted  in  the  garden,  in  rows 
about  one  foot  apart  and  thinned  to  four  inches  apart  in 
the  row.  The  seed  is  covered  one-half  inch.  They  are 
often  sown  broadcast,  where  early  corn  is  planted,  so  as  to 
get  a crop  in  the  fall.  Turnips  sown  in  the  last  of  July 
should  remain  in  the  ground  until  just  before  the  ground 
freezes.  They  can  then  be  packed  in  pits  or  in  a cool  cel- 
lar in  boxes  of  sand  and  keep  all  winter.  The  Swede 
turnip  should  be  planted  in  the  spring  about  May  10th,  in 
rows  about  twelve  inches  apart,  as  it  will  require  the  en- 
tire season  to  develop  the  root. 


First  lesson  in  gardening. 


VEGETABLES. 

The  time  set  for  planting  is  given  as  the  average  time  when  the  crop  can  be  planted  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  on  a level  loamy  soil.  When  the  season  is  early,  the  planting  can 
take  place  about  a week  earlier,  while  in  a late  season  it  will  be  about  a week  later.  A difference  of  five  or  six  days  should  be  allowed  for  every  hundred  miles  in  latitude.  The  time 
required  for  seed  to  come  up  will  vary  according  to  the  condition  of  the  seed,  the  condition  and  kind  of  soil  and  the  temperature.  A sandy  loam  favors  rapid  germination. 


or  window  garden  and  garden.  | Hotbed  or  window  box.  $ Started  in  hotbed  and  transplanted.  § Does  not  do  very  well  in  hot  weather. 


§ Treated  as  annuals  in  this  climate.  * Do  not  cover.  t Use  trelleses  or  over  stone.  J On  trelleses. 
All  plants  marked  (§)may  be  potted  the  1st  of  September  and  they  will  bloom  in  winter  inside. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

HOW  TO  DIG  AND  SET  TREES. 

rO  dig  a small  tree,  ten  or  twelve  feet  high,  dig  around 
it  about  eighteen  inches  from  the  trunk,  until  below 
most  of  the  roots;  then,  put  the  spade  under  the  tree  and 
lift  up,  at  the  same  time  pressing  the  top  away.  Repeat 
the  operation  on  the  other  side  of  the  tree  if  necessary.  In 
the  nursery  row  a man  on  each  side  can  put  the  spade 
down  its  full  length  about  one  foot  from  the  trunk.  Both 
should  press  the  spade,  handle  down  at  the  same  time 
with  one  hand  and  lift  the  tree  out  with  the  other. 

Trees  should  be  set  as  soon  as  possible  after  digging. 
All  roots  that  are  broken  should  be  cut  with  a sharp 
knife  or  pruning  shears  so  they  will  heal  quickly.  When 
the  roots  are  very  thick  and  interlaced,  as  is  sometimes 
the  case  with  nursery  trees,  the  roots  should  be  judiciously 
thinned.  Always  try  not  to  leave  two  branches  opposite; 
they  may  make  a bad  crotch.  Always  cut  off  all 
crossing  and  twining  shoots  and  generally  cut  back  the 
ends  of  the  branches.  One  year  old  (from  the  bud)  peach 
or  apricot  trees  should  be  pruned  to  a single  stem. 

TO  SET  THE  TREE. 

A stake  should  be  placed  where  each  tree  is  to  be  set. 
A planting  board  should  be  used,  which  consists  of  a strip 
or  board  with  a notch  in  the  center,  and  one  near  each  end. 


• | — 




°_J 

Planting  Boards. 
(39) 


40 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


It  is  placed  so  the  center  notch  comes  to  the  stake  where 
the  tree  is  to  set  and  one  stake  is  placed  in  each  of  the  end 
notches.  The  center  stake  is  then  removed  and  the  hole 
dug.  Always  have  the  hole  a little  too  large  for  the 
trees’  roots.  If  the  soil  is  poor  dig  the  hole  deep,  and 
spade  the  top  soil  or  some  good  garden  soil  into  the  bottom 
of  the  hole.  Spread  out  the  roots  in  their  natural  position, 
and  fill  in  the  fine  soil  about  them,  pressing  it  in  around 
the  roots  with  the  hands. 

Place  the  setting  board  so  the  stakes  come  into  the 
end  notches,  and  have  the  tree  come  into  the  center  one. 
Be  sure  the  tree  is  set  straight.  If  in  a very  windy  section, 
incline  a little  towards  the  direction  of  the  prevailing 
winds.  In  larger  trees  always  place  the  thickest  side 
towards  the  direction  from  which  the  prevailing  winds 
come. 

Trees  can  be  set  in  the  spring,  any  time  after  the  frost 
is  out  of  the  ground,  until  the  buds  start.  The  ground 
should  be  made  very  firm  around  the  roots  and  mulch 
should  be  kept  on  top.  If  late  in  the  season  or  if  the  soil 
is  dry  the  trees  should  be  watered.  Watering  helps  to 
settle  the  soil  about  the  roots.  Later,  mulch  the  trees 
with  soil  or  grass.  Shrubs  are  set  the  same  as  trees. 


Wrong  and  right  way  of  digging  the  holes  for  trees. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

TO  MAKE  A HOTBED  AND  CARE  FOR  SAME. 

TAKE  two  twelve  inch  planks  or  boards  and  stand 
them  on  edge  for  the  back,  one  on  top  of  the  other, 
and  one  twelve  inch  plank  or  board  for  the  front.  Nail  or 
screw  cleats  on  them  to  prevent  them  from  warping.  The 
ends  are  made  five  feet,  ten  inches  long  and  placed  inside 
the  sides.  Saw  one  twelve  inch  board,  cut  five  feet,  ten 
inches  long,  diagonally  and  place  on  top  of  a twelve  inch 
board  of  the  same  length  at  each  end  of  the  bed.  Put  two 
by  two  or  two  by  four  inch  posts  in  the  corners  and  nail, 
screw  or  bolt  the  sides  and  ends  to  them.  The  best  loca- 
tion is  a sunny  exposure  facing  the  south  or  southwest. 
The  best  exposure  is  on  the  south  side  of  a building  or 
fence  as  the  bed  is  then  protected  from  cold  winds.  The 
front  or  low  side , should  always  he  towards  the  sun.  Hotbed 
sash  are  generally  made  three  feet  by  six  feet.  The  glass 
in  them  should  lap  about  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch. 
Sash  are  made  to  take  six  by  eight  inch,  eight  by  ten  inch 
and  ten  by  twelve  inch  glass.  The  latter  gives  the  most 
light  but  the  sash  containing  less  bars  are  not  quite  as 
strong.  Old  windows  may  be  used,  in  which  case  the  bed 
is  made  as  wide  as  the  windows  are  long.  The  edges  of 
the  planks  should  be  planed,  according  to  the  slant,  so  the 
sash  fit  exactly.  If  the  bed  is  to  remain  permanently,  the 
sash  may  be  hinged  on  the  back,  or,  if  there  is  room,  they 
may  slide.  It  is  necessary  to  put  braces  from  front  to  back 
of  the  bed,  and  it  is  well  to  put  these  every  three  feet,  so 
the  sash  may  rest  on  them.  The  top  of  them  should  be 
nearly,  or  quite,  even  with  the  top  of  the  frame.  Two  by 
four  inch  strips  should  be  used  with  the  ends  cut  on  a 
bevel  so  they  fit  exactly.  To  get  this  bevel,  place  the  two 
by  four  inch  strips  on  the  hotbed  frame  and  hold  a straight 
edged  stick  or  square  against  the  inside  of  the  front  and 


4r 


42 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


back  of  the  frame  and  draw  lines  on  the  two  by  four  inch 
strips.  If  cut  along  these  lines  the  strip  will  slide  into 
place  and  is  then  nailed. 

When  the  frame  is  completed,  dig  out  the  soil  (inside) 
to  a depth  of  ten  to  twelve  inches,  then  fill  in  with  fresh, 
decomposing,  well-mixed  horse  manure  to  a depth  of  one 


Preparing  the  Hot-bed. 


foot  after  it  is  trodden  down.  When  evenly  and  well 
trodden,  wet  it  down  and  put  on  about  four  inches  of  good 
soil.  Have  the  manure  and  soil  deeper  on  the  back  of  the 
bed  so  it  will  slant  nearly  as  much  as  the  glass.  Put  on 
the  glass.  Allow  it  to  remain  until  the  manure  heats  and 
the  temperature  of  the  manure  falls  to  90°  F.  This  is  ob- 
tained by  placing  a thermometer  about  two  inches  into 
the  soil.  It  will  take  five  to  fifteen  days.  Water  thor- 
oughly if  dry.  When  the  temperature  of  the  manure  and 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


43 


soil  have  fallen  to  90°  F.  begin  using  the  bed.  If  the 
weather  is  cold,  bank  the  outside  of  the  frame  with  strawy 
manure.  For  low  plants,  like  lettuce  and  radishes,  the 
soil  may  be  as  near  as  six  inches  to  the  glass.  The  soil 
will  always  settle  from  two  to  six  inches. 

The  hotbed  is  generally  started  in  February  or  March, 
but  can  be  started  earlier  by  using  more  manure.  It  must 
always  be  in  a well  drained  location. 

THE  CARE  OF  THE  BED. 

The  hotbed  needs  good  and  regular  care.  It  is  the 
farmer’s  greenhouse  and  in  it  can  be  grown  a large  vari- 
ety of  vegetables  or  flowers.  After  the  1st  of  April  the 
hotbed  should  generally  be  watered  early  every  pleasant 
morning,  and  whenever  dry  before  then.  If  the  weather 
is  cold  the  bed  should  be  watered  in  the  middle  of  the  day, 
when  the  sash  can  be  lifted  for  a few  minutes. 

Much  care  is  needed  in  ventilating  the  bed  as  the  de- 
composing manure  will  use  up  the  air,  and  plants  cannot 
make  good  growth  without  fresh  air.  The  sun,  also, 
causes  intense  heat  on  fair  days.  Hotbeds  should  have 
a little  air  on  fair  days  even  in  winter.  Generally  how- 
ever, keep  the  temperature,  during  bright  days,  between 
6o°  and  8o°,  and  cloudy  days  between  50°  and  70°.  A 
temperature  of  90°  or  ioo°,  with  the  sash  partly  open, 
would  do  no  harm,  while  a temperature  of  75  in  sunlight, 
with  the  bed  closed  tight,  might  do  harm.  On  cold  and 
cloudy  days  only  open  a very  little,  for  a very  few  minutes 
in  the  middle  of  the  day.  A thermometer  should  always  be 
in  every  bed. 

Cotton  Shutters  are  cheap  and  nearly  or  quite  as 
good  as  sash  after  the  danger  of  heavy  frost  is  past. 
They  are  made  by  tacking  cheese  cloth  over  a frame  made 
the  same  size  as  the  sash.  These  frames  are  easily  made 
from  planed  furring  strips.  Cold  nights  the  hotbeds 
should  always  be  covered  with  mats.  In  winter,  shutters, 
should  be  placed  over  the  mats.  The  bed  without  (heat) 
manure  is  called  a cold  frame. 


44 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


A Cotton  Shutter  Frame. 

THINGS  TO  REMEMBER. 

ist.  Decide  the  location  of  the  hotbed. 

2d.  Decide  the  size  of  the  bed. 

3d.  Cut  the  boards  the  right  lengths. 

4th.  Put  on  the  Cleats. 

5th.  Take  boards  to  the  location. 

6th.  Arrange  boards  on  ground  near  where  they 
are  to  stand. 

7th.  Set  up  sides  and  ends  and  fasten  them  together. 
8th.  Put  in  the  braces. 

9th.  Dig  out  the  bed. 

10th.  Fill  in  and  tread  manure,  water  and  add  four 
inches  of  soil.  Put  on  glass  and  keep  closed  for  a few  days. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

STRAWBERRY  CULTURE. 

/BVfHE  strawberry  is  one  of  the  most  important  of  the 
A small  fruits.  It  will  grow  with  a fair  degree  of  suc- 
cess on  most  any  soil.  A moist,  dark,  sandy  loam  is  best. 
Any  soil  that  will  grow  a crop  of  corn  or  potatoes  will 
grow  strawberries.  The  richer  the  soil  the  larger  the 
crop.  It  should  be  well  drained.  If  the  water  level  is 
high,  the  land  should  be  underdrained,  otherwise  surface 
drainage  will  be  sufficient.  The  soil  should  be  thoroughly 
prepared , thoroughly  plowed , heavily  manured , and  thoroughly 
harrowed  until  the  surface  is  fine  and  mellow  before  the 
plants  are  set.  The  setting  is  done  either  in  the  spring, 
summer,  or  early  fall.  The  early  spring  is  best,  unless 
pot  plants  are  used.  In  setting,  use  only  the  runners. 
Take  them  up  with  a fork.  Pick  off  old,  dry  leaves.  Use 
only  plants  with  light  colored  roots  and  clip  off  one-third 
of  them.  Do  not  let  the  sun  shine  on  the  roots. 

For  a garden,  set  the  plants  two  feet  by  two  feet. 
Make  a marker  like  a rake  with  the  teeth,  two  feet  apart. 
Mark  the  land  both  ways.  A man  should  mark  an  acre 
in  half  a day.  The  plants  are  then  dropped  by  boys  at 
each  section.  They  are  set  by  men  who  pick  them  up 
with  their  left  hands  and  spread  the  roots  in  a fan  shape 
between  the  fingers  at  the  same  time  opening  the  hole  wTith 
the  right  hand.  Eower  the  plant  into  the  ground  with  the 
left  hand,  press  the  soil  firmly  about  the  roots  with  both 
hands,  leaving  the  crown  slightly  lower  than  the  surround- 
ing soil.  Be  very  careful  not  to  cover  it.  One  man  should 
set  half  an  acre  in  a day.  If  the  ground  is  not  wet  each 
plant  should  receive  one  pint  of  water. 

For  field  culture,  the  plants  are  often  set  three  feet 
apart  in  the  rows,  with  the  rows  three  to  four  feet  apart. 
Where  pistillate  varieties  are  used  it  is  necessary  to  have 

45 


46 


HINTS  AND  IIEL,  PS 


seme  perfect  variety  every  third  row  so  as  to  polleni^e  the 
imperfect  ones. 

The  beds  should  be  kept  clean  and  free  from  weeds 
at  all  times.  Train  the  runners  in  a circle  about  the 
plants.  Cover  in  winter  after  the  ground  is  frozen,  to 
protect  the  plants  from  freezing  and  thawing.  Pine  or 
hemlock  boughs,  marsh  hay,  or  straw  free  from  weeds  are 
the  best  covers.  Keep  them  covered  till  all  freezing 
nights  are  over.  In  the  spring,  apply  wood  ashes,  500 
lbs.  to  acre,  and  unless  the  ground  is  very  rich  apply 
nitrate  of  soda,  160  lbs.  to  the  acre.  The  first  year  it  is 
well  to  grow  some  other  crop  between  the  rows,  such  as 
radish,  lettuce,  onion  sets  or  even  cabbage. 


Strawberry  Barrel. 

THE  BARRET  METHOD. 

Take  any  strong  barrel,  nail  on  the  hoops  and  clinch 
the  nails  inside.  Then  bore  two  or  three  holes  in  the  bot- 
tom near  the  sides  for  drainage.  Then  beginning  about 
eight  inches  from  the  bottom  bore  holes  one  and  one-half 
or  two  inches  in  diameter,  eight  inches  apart  around  the 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDKNERS. 


47 


barrel.  Make  a similar  row  of  holes  four  to  six  inches 
from  the  top  and  a row  of  holes  between  the  two  rows. 
Take  an  old  conductor,  land  tile  or  even  four  laths. 
Make  holes  in  them,  and  place  in  the  center  of  the  barrel. 
Through  this  the  plants  will  be  watered.  Use  half  soil, 
half  manure,  with  some  bone  mixed  in  it.  Fill  up  to  the 
first  row  of  holes,  set  the  plants  by  putting  them  inside 
and  pulling  out  the  leaves  through  the  holes  in  the  first 
row.  Fill  up  the  barrel  to  the  second  row  and  set  the 
plants  in  the  same  way,  and  the  third  row  the  same. 
Always  be  sure  and  press  the  soil  firmly , before  setting  the 
plants.  Fill  the  barrel  full  and  set  six  plants  in  the  top. 
Many  persons  can  have  one  or  more  barrels  of  strawberries 
in  their  yards  when  they  have  not  room  for  a strawberry 
bed.  A single  barrel  may  yield  fifteen  to  twenty  quarts. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

ASPARAGUS  CULTURE. 

ASPARAGUS  officinalis,  belongs  to  the  Liliaceae 
Family. 

Asparagus  is  a native  of  Europe  and  Asia  and  has 
been  cultivated  for  2,000  years  or  more.  It  was  grown  by 
the  Greeks  and  Romans.  The  so-called  leaves  are  leaf- 
like branches.  The  true  leaves  are  scales  and  in  the  axils 
of  these  branches  arise. 

Asparagus  is  a rugged  plant  and  will  live  in  most  any 
soil.  It  does  best  on  well-drained,  well-manured,  and 
well-tilled  soil  and  for  an  early  crop  the  land  selected 
should  be  a warm  loam  with  a southern  exposure,  if  pos- 
sible. Bulky  manures  should  be  used  at  the  start  to  fur- 
nish plenty  of  vegetable  matter.  Eater  use  manures  rich 
in  nitrogen  and  potash. 

Plant  the  seed  thinly  in  rows  one  to  three  feet  apart  as 
early  as  the  ground  can  be  worked  easily.  In  setting  the 
new  beds  use  strong,  one-year  old  plants. 

FOR  THE  GARDEN  BED. 

Dig  out  the  space  to  be  devoted  to  asparagus  to  a 
depth  of  eighteen  or  more  inches.  Put  six  or  eight  inches 
of  coarse  manure  or  compost  into  the  bottom  and  spade  it 
in  well.  The  top  of  the  bed  will  then  be  about  ten  inches 
lower  than  the  surrounding  garden. 

Take  the  freshly  dug  roots,  and  set  them  on  a little 
mound  one  foot  apart  each  way,  spreading  the  roots  as  they 
were  growing  in  the  seed  bed.  Fill  in  over  the  roots  with 
two  or  three  inches  of  loose,  rich  soil.  When  the  plants 
start,  fill  in  gradually  until  level.  In  the  fall  as  soon  as 
the  tops  begin  to  turn  brown,  cut  them  and  burn  them. 
Cover  the  beds  in  winter  with  a liberal  supply  of  strawy 
manure.  This  should  be  turned  under  by  shallow  spad- 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


49 


in g or  plowing  in  the  spring.  For  the  garden,  it  is  best  to 
have  a narrow  bed  or  a two  foot  walk  between  two  narrow 
beds  four  feet  wide. 

FOR  FIFED  CUFTURF. 

Set  the  plants  two  feet  apart  in  the  rows  with  the  rows 
five  or  six  feet  apart.  Plow  out  the  rows  deep  and  set  the 
plants  eight  or  ten  inches  below  the  surface,  covering 
them  two  to  four  inches.  Fill  gradually  by  harrowing  and 
cultivating.  After  the  second  year  begin  cutting. 

Cut  the  s, talks  daily  in  the  early  morning,  with  the 
asparagus  knife,  just  below  the  surface,  using  care  not  to 
injure  other  shoots  that  are  coming  up.  If  the  ground  is 
rich  and  well  tilled,  the  stalks  will  be  nearly  one  inch 
through.  They  should  be  four  to  eight  inches  long* 


CHAPTER  X. 

WINDOW  GARDENING. 

WINDOW  gardening  is  something  more  than  simply 
filling  a box  with  plants.  We  hear  green-house 
construction  men  speak  of  the  window  garden  meaning  the 
addition  put  on  the  outside  of  a window  thereby  making  a 
miniature  green-house  heated  by  the  sun  and  the  warm  air 
of  the  room.  The  Civic  Improvement  Societies  speak  of 
window  gardening  and  window  boxes  referring  to  those 
boxes  filled  with  plants  and  placed  on  the  outside  of  tene- 
ment houses  for  the  spring  and  summer.  Again,  we  hear 
of  window  gardening  and  window  boxes  in  the  autumn 
for  the  cultivation  of  plants  inside  the  house.  Window 
gardening  in  its  broadest  sense  includes  even  more  than 
all  these.  It  includes  the  preparation  of  the  soil,  the 
artistic  filling  of  the  boxes  or  arrangement  of  the  pots, 
either  inside  or  outside  of  the  window,  and  the  care  and 
treatment  of  the  plants. 

The  present  methods  of  heating  and  lighting  by  kero- 
sene or  gas  (not  electricity)  produce  a dry  atmosphere 
which  is  detrimental  to  the  vegetable  growth.  In  houses 
lighted  by  electricity  and  heated  by  any  system  which 
introduces  an  abundance  of  fresh  air,  the  matter  is  not  so 
troublesome.  Too  much  heat  and  dry  air  are  harder  for 
plants  than  insufficient  light,  but  lack  of  light  is  also  one 
of  the  drawbacks  of  the  window  garden.  Dust  and  insects 
do  harm  but  are  more  easily  overcome.  On  account  of  the 
dry  air,  plants  often  do  better  in  boxes  than  in  pots  be- 
cause there  is  more  soil  space  to  evaporate  moisture 
which  makes  a moist  atmosphere  about  them.  Water  m 
zinc  pans  under  the  pots  accomplishes  the  same  purpose, 
but  the  pots  should  be  raised  so  they  do  not  set  in  water. 
Saucers  will  answer  the  same  purpose  but  the  moisture  is 
likely  to  pass  through  the  pores  and  injure  the  woodwork. 

50 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


51 


A kitchen  makes  a fine  hospital  for  sick  plants  as  the 
moisture  from  cooking  makes  a damp  atmosphere. 

The  very  best  plants  for  a window  garden  are  those 
adapted  to  resist  a dry  atmosphere  and  high  temperature 
and  insufficient  light.  They  are  found  among  tropical 
plants  with  coriaceous  leaves  with  small  stomata,  such  as 
Palms,  Rubber  Plants,  etc.  Flowering  plants  are  best  in- 
troduced when  about  to  bloom.  The  best  windows  for 
most  plants  are  those  with  a southern  exposure.  Trouble 
is  likely  to  come  from  the  use  of  unsuitable  soil.  The 
best  time  to  take  up  plants,  growing  in  the  open  air,  for 
winter  bloom  inside  is  generally  the  last  of  August.  Pot 
them  and  put  in  a shaded  place  for  a few  days,  sprinkling 
the  foliage  during  the  middle  of  pleasant  weather.  Plants 
so  treated  will  get  a good  start  and  bloom  during  the  win- 
ter months  instead  oi  waiting  until  Spring  as  is  likely  to 
be  the  case  with  plants  remaining  in  the  ground  till  frost 
comes.  Avoid  draughts  and  the  application  of  too  much 
water  at  the  root  until  the  plants  have  become  accustomed 
lo  their  new  quarters. 

I will  treat  briefly  of  the  following  topics: 

1.  Mixing  and  fertilizing  the  soil. 

For  common  plants — Geraniums,  Coleus,  Bego- 
nias. 

For  Palms  and  Roses. 

For  Cacti,  etc. 

a.  Selecting  and  arranging  the  plants  in  boxes. 

3.  Potting  and  re-potting  plants. 

4.  Propagation. 

5.  Bulbs. 

•6.  Care  of  plants. 

MIXING  AND  FERTIEIZING  THE  SOIE. 

The  preparation  of  the  soil  is  one  of  the  first  and  most 
important  points  for  success  in  gardening  of  any  kind.  It 
is  obvious  with  plants  grown  in  pots  or  boxes  where  the 
roots  are  necessarily  more  or  less  cramped,  that  the  soil 
must  be  rich  in  available  food  and  in  sustaining  power. 


52 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


The  mixtures  that  I shall  give  will  give  satisfactory 
results  and  are  more  easily  obtained  than  mixtures  often 
given.  Persons  having  a larger  variety  of  materials  at 
their  command  usually  have  a gardener  competent  to  mix 
the  soil  to  suit  the  needs  of  the  individual  plants. 

For  Common  Plants  such  as  Geraniums,  Coleus, 
Fuchsias,  Etc.,  mix  one  part  of  soil,  one  part  of  well 
rotted  manure  (cow  manure  if  obtainable)  spread  this  on 
the  potting  bench  (a  shutter  placed  on  two  horses,  or  an 
old  table  serves  the  purpose).  To  a bushel  of  this  mixture 
apply  one  quart  of  bone  meal  and  four  quarts  of  gritty 
sand,  if  obtainable;  mix  thoroughly  with  the  spade  and 
then  with  the  hands  until  it  contains  a large  amount  of 
air.  A sprinkling  o*f  air-slaked  lime  and  a pint  of  tobacco 
dust  will  help  to  rid  all  objectionable  insects.  Have  the 
soil  moist  (neither  wet  nor  dry)  and  mix  it  until  there  are 
no  lumps.  Allow  this  soil  to  remain  over  night  or  for 
several  days  and  mix  again  when  ready  to  put  the  plants 
into  it.  This  work  cannot  be  too  thoroughly  done.  A 
spring  hot-bed  will  often  furnish  sufficiently  well  rotted 
manure  in  the  Fall  in  case  cow  manure  is  not  to  be  had. 

For  Palms  and  Roses  use  in  place  of  the  soil  pure  ' 
clay.  This  is  generally  best  mixed  by  allowing  it  to  dry 
and  then  pulverizing  and  mixing. 

Cacti  of  all  kinds  are  not  generally  suited  by  the 
ordinary  soil  mixtures,  and  while  not  very  common  in  the 
window  garden,  their  odd  shapes  and  the  free  flowering 
habit  of  some  species  attract  attention.  For  potting  them 
use  plenty  of  drainage  and  equal  parts  of  mixed  soil,  sand 
and  brick  rubble. 

selecting  and  arranging  the  plants. 

Everywhere  in  nature  there  are  societies  of  plants  that 
grow  and  thrive  together.  In  selecting  the  plants  for  the 
window  box,  great  care  should  be  exercised,  not  only  to 
select  those  that  will  best  harmonize  in  color  and  present 
the  best  artistic  appearance,  but  to  select  those  that  will 
best  grow  together  under  the  conditions.  A collection 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


53 


that,  will  do  well  in  a south  window  will  not  do  well  in  a 
north  window,  and  vice-versa.  For  success  do  not  crowd 
too  many  plants  into  the  box  and  do  not  expect  the  box 
to  present  its  best  appearance  when  first  filled;  give  some 
room  for  growth  and  development.  There  are  two  methods 
of  filling:  one  where  all  the  tall  plants  are  placed  at  the 
back  of  the  box  and  the  low  ones  in  front;  the  other  where 
tall  plants  are  in  the  center  and  low  plants  or  vines  either 
side.  The  latter  gives  the  most  lasting  effect  since  when 
the  box  is  turned  about  the  light  is  more  evenly  divided 
among  the  different  plants.  The  box  should  have  several 
one-inch  holes  in  the  bottom  for  drainage  and  a zinc  pan 
should  be  placed  under  it.  It  should  be  raised  from  the 
pan  enough  to  prevent  its  setting  in  water.  In  the  absence 
of  a pan  a tight  box  can  be  used  but  will  require  great  care 
in  watering.  Outside  boxes  may  be  filled  in  the  early 
spring,  even  befoie  the  frost  is  out  of  the  ground,  with 
well  hardened  Pansies  or  Beilis  Plants  (Perannis)  or  both. 
A good  assortment  will  make  a very  showy  box.  After 
the  danger  of  frost  is  passed  and  Pansies  are  not  blooming 
so  well,  take  them  out  and  fill  the  box  with  any  of  the 
plants  given  in  the  list  best  suited  to  your  exposure,  or 
mixed  Petunia  seed  may  be  sown  among  the  Pansies  and 
the  latter  allowed  to  remain.  The  Petunias  will  grow 
rapidly  as  soon  as  the  warm  weather  comes  and  entirely 
fill  the  box  with  an  abundance  of  bloom.  Vines  can  be 
used  in  connection  with  them.  In  the  Fall,  when  the  flow- 
ering plants  are  killed,  they  can  be  pulled  up  and  some 
hardy  evergreens  planted,  as  Spruce,  Hemlock,  Juniper, 
or  Cedar.  In  this  way  the  box  will  look  attractive  the 
entire  year.  In  the  Spring  take  out  the  old  soil  and  put 
in  new.  Plants  for  outside  boxes  in  Spring,  February  to 
May:  Violets,  Pansies,  Beilis,  Forget-me-nots,  and  Bulbs. 
The  latter  should  be  planted  in  the  Fall. 

For  Sunny  Exposures:  Achranthus,  Alternanthera, 
Ageratum,  Begonias,  Coleus,  Cornflower,  Dusty  Miller, 
Marguerite,  Geranium,  Petunias,  Salvias,  Snap  Dragons, 


54 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 


For  the  Box  Edges:  Alyssuin,  Ivies,  Lobelia, 
Morning  Glory,  Periwinkles  (Vincas),  Tradescantias, 
(Wandering  Jew),  Tropaeolums  (Nasturtiums). 

For  Shady  Exposures:  Fuchsias,  Begonias,  Dra- 
caenas, Ferns,  Feverfew. 

For  Edges:  Ivies,  Periwinkles,  Dusty  Miller. 

Cornflower,  Snap  Dragons,  Verbenas,  Marguerite, 
Feverfew,  and  Dusty  Miller  will  stand  considerable  frost. 
For  winter,  fill  the  box  with  Enonymus,  Yew,  Spruce,  etc. 
Small  Norway  Spruce  one  or  two  feet  high  can  be  obtained 
for  fifteen  or  twenty-five  cents  each. 

FOR  INSIDE  BOXES. 

For  Sunny  Warm  Rooms:  Cupheas,  Heliotrope, 
Hydrangea,  Marguerite,  Geraniums,  Bulbs,  Mignonette, 
Salvias,  Petunias,  Jerusalem  Cherries,  Cytissus,  Roses. 

For  North  Windows:  Begonias,  Bulbs,  Cyperus 
(Umbrella  Palm),  Dracaenas,  Ferns,  Fuchsias,  Myrtles, 
Rex  Begonias,  etc. 

Paor  School  Rooms  where  the  temperature  is  likely 
to  be  low  between  Friday  nights  and  Monday  mornings: 

Where  the  Temperature  is  Maintained:  Achran- 
thus,  Abutilons,  Cannas,  Dracaena,  Dusty  Miller,  Fuch- 
sias, Feverfew,  Geranium,  Hibiscus,  Myrtle,  Gnaphaliums, 
Pansies,  Pinks,  Verbenas,  Snap  Dragons,  Violets. 

Where  there  is  Danger  of  Frost:  Forget-me- 
nots,  Verbenas,  Feverfew,  Snap  Dragons,  Myrtle,  Um- 
brella Palm,  Violet,  Pansies,  Abutilons,  Hibiscus. 

All  boxes  for  large  plants  should  be  at  least  six 
inches  deep  and  should  have  one  or  two  inches  at  the  bot- 
tom or  broken  pots  or  brick  rubble  for  drainage;  then  fill 
the  box  about  one-half  full  of  soil  and  set  the  large  plants 
in  position;  then  fill  in  soil  evenly  on  all  sides,  pressing 
it  firmly  about  the  plants,  leaving  at  least  one-half  inch 
between  the  top  of  the  soil  and  the  edge  of  the  box  for 
watering.  Smaller  plants  may  be  set  about  the  edges. 
Nasturtium  or  Sweet  Alyssum  can  be  planted,  or  cuttings 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


55 


of  the  Tradescantia  set  out  there.  If  the  plants  are  taken 
from  the  ground  they  are  prepared  the  same  as  for  potting. 

POTTING  PLANTS. 

Potting  Plants  from  the  Soil.  Take  the  plant 
up  carefully  leaving  a ball  of  earth  about  the  roots; 
crumble  this  away  until  it  will  easily  enter  the  pot,  place 
a few  pieces  of  broken  pot  in  the  bottom  for  drainage  and 
fill  it  about  one-third  full  of  soil;  set  the  plant  in  the 
center  holding  it  so  the  top  of  the  ball  of  earth  is  about 
one  inch  below  the  top  of  the  pot;  fill  in  fine  soil  evenly  on 
all  sides  and  press  it  down  with  the  fingers  firmly.  The 
pots  should  be  clean  inside  and  should  be  wet  before  using. 
Water  thoroughly  and  place  in  partial  shade  for  a few 
days.  Do  not  give  too  much  water  at  the  root  until  the 
plants  start  to  grow. 

To  Re- Pot,  the  plant  is  removed  from  the  pot  by  in- 
verting it  and  rapping  the  rim  of  the  pot  lightly  upon  the 
edge  of  the  bench.  Crumble  a little  earth  from  the  upper 
edge,  remove  the  drainage  and  crumble  away  the  lower 
edge  slightly.  Put  in  enough  soil  over  the  drainage  to 
bring  the  ball  of  earth  about  one  inch  below  the  top  of  the 
pot,  place  the  plant  in  the  center  of  the  pot  and  fill  soil 
around  the  ball  of  earth  pressing  firmly  about  the  edges. 
Fill  the  pot  to  about  three-fourths  of  an  inch  below  the 
top,  press  firmly  and  rap  slightly  on  the  bench  to  settle  the 
soil;  water  and  place  in  partial  shade  for  a day  or  two.  In 
re-potting,  generally  use  pots  one  inch  larger  than  those 
from  which  the  plant  came.  Over-potting  is  as  serious  as 
under-potting.  To  pot  cuttings  or  seedling  plants  take  one 
part  of  sand,  one  part  of  soil  and  one  part  of  manure  and 
pot  the  same  as  other  plants,  filling  the  pots  to  within  one- 
half  inch  of  the  top. 

propagation. 

The  window  garden  is  the  teacher’s  greenhouse  and 
in  it  may  be  propagated  all  the  early  plants  for  the  school 
garden.  Many  farmers’  wives  have  no  other  place  to  start 
their  early  vegetable  and  flower  plants. 


HINTS  AND  HELPS 

North  windows  in  warm  rooms  for 
germinating  seed  and  starting  cuttings. 
For  starting  seed  use  one  part  soil  and 
two  parts  sand,  or  just  the  soil  if  it  is 
light.  For  taking  cuttings,  select  the 
younger  growth  of  the  plants  where  the 
shoots  are  pretty  well  matured  so  that 
they  are  not  too  soft.  The  tops  of 
shoots  generally  make  the  best  cuttings. 
Cut  them  two  or  three  inches  long,  trim 
off  the  large  side  leaves;  they  should 
then  be  inserted  in  clean,  sharp  sand 
at  least  half  their  length  and  wet  thoroughly.  A deep 
plate  or  shallow  dish  containing  about  two  inches  of  sand 
can  be  used.  This  can  be  placed  on  a radiator  or  on  the 
back  of  the  stove  at  night.  They  should  be  kept  moist, 
not  allowed  to  dry  up,  nor  should  they  be  overwatered. 
Bottom  heat  stimulates  root  development. 

bulbs. 

Nearly  all  our  common  bulbs  can  be  made  to  bloom 
successfully  in  the  window  garden,  although  a cool  room 
will  give  the  best  results.  The  bulb  should  be  potted  in 
the  Fall  and  the  pots  and  boxes  containing  them  should 
be  left  out  of  doors  or  in  a cellar  where  the  temperature  is 
low.  They  can  be  brought  into  the  window  garden  suc- 
cessively and  thus  obtain  a succession  of  bloom.  In  pot- 
ting bulbs,  give  plenty  of  drainage  and  be  sure  that  the 
soil  is  not  too  firm  directly  under  them;  otherwise  the  roots 
will  throw  the  bulb  above  the  surface  of  the  soil.  Most 
bulbs  should  be  just  covered  with  earth  which  is  pressed 
firmly  around  the  sides  of  the  bulb.  They  should  not  be 
watered  until  growth  commences.  When  about  to  bloom 
they  will  require  considerable  water.  The  commonest 
bulbs  that  do  well  are:  Crocus;  Daffodils;  Freesias;  Hya- 
cinth; Oxalis;  Lily  of  the  Valley;  and  Tulips.  Sometimes 
a window  box  can  be  made  up  entirely  of  bulb  stock,  and 


56 


Cut  loaned  by 
Doubledaj',  Page  & Co. 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


57 


while  it  is  in  bloom  it  is  very  effective.  A few  bulbs  in  a 
window  box  with  other  plants,  if  they  are  judiciously  ar- 
ranged, will  add  to  it. 

CARE  OF  THE  PEANTS. 

Water  is  the  most  essential  element  of  plant  food,  and 
water  and  air  are  two  things  that  every  plant  requires,  yet 
there  are  no  set  rules  that  can  be  given  when  these  things 
should  be  applied.  Generally  speaking,  however,  a plant 
should  only  be  watered  when  it  is  dry  and  should  then  be 
watered  sufficiently  to  wet  it  thoroughly.  Sometimes  it  is 
necessary  to  water  plants  two  or  three  times  a day  in  sunny 
weather,  and  again,  in  cloudy  weather,  once  a week  may 
be  often  enough.  Plants  should  receive  good  air.  It  is 
well  to  open  a window  for  a few  moments  every  bright 
snnny  day,  even  in  winter.  Dust  frequently  clogs  the 
pores.  For  this  reason  it  is  best  to  sprinkle  the  foliage  of 
plants  by  taking  them  to  the  kitchen  sink  or  to  the  bath- 
tub at  least  once  or  twice  a week.  If  this  is  not  practicable, 
dusting  with  a duster  or  washing  coriaceous  leaves  with  a 
sponge  is  advisable.  Where  the  plants  can  be  properly 
sprayed,  they  are  not  likely  to  be  troubled  very  much  with 
insects.  In  case  a single  plant  is  covered  with  green  fly, 
place  a paper  bag  over  it  and  have  some  friend  who 
smokes,  puff  the  cigar  smoke  into  the  bag.  A few  times 
will  remedy  this  trouble.  Scale  insects,  if  they  once  get 
hold,  can  only  be  removed  by  washing  off  with  a stiff 
brush,  or,  if  near  a florist,  have  him  give  it  the  Hydro 
Cyanic  Acid  Gas  treatment.  Pyrethrum  or  tobacco  dust 
is  also  valuable  but  is  generally  too  objectionable  to  have 
in  a living  room.  The  best  preventative  is  to  always  keep 
the  plants  in  perfect  health  and  growing.  The  pots  or 
window  boxes  should  be  turned  frequently  so  as  to  have 
the  plants  develop  symmetrically. 

In  closing  I will  only  say  that  it  is  the  loving  attention 
to  the  little  requirements  of  the  plants  that  is  the  secret  of 
the  greatest  success  with  the  window  garden.  Many  of 
those  requirements  can  only  be  learned  through  coming 


Seedlings  for  the  Garden. 


A Window  Box.  Boxes  in  the  Window  Garden. 


FOR  YOUNG  GARDENERS. 


59 


into  contact  with  the  plants  themselves.  There  are  prin- 
ciples, but  in  window  gardening  there  are  hardly  two  en- 
vironments that  are  exactly  alike.  If  you  study  plants 
and  fulfill  their  wants,  they  will  nearly  always  entirely 
fulfill  your  wishes  in  cheering  and  beautifying  your  school 
room  or  home. 


Masses  of  shrubbery  connected  by  thinner  plantings 
with  artistic  curves. 


“For  the 
Land's  Sake" 

Use  Bowker’s  Fertilizers; 
— they  enrich  the  earth 
and  those  who  till  it. 
Good  gardening  requires 
not  only  good  brains  and 
good  tools,  but  good  fer- 
tilizers. 

Send  for  our  catalogues 
and 

“Study  the  Plant 
Food  Problem.” 

RAU/VPD  FERTILIZER 

DUtVIVl/K  company 

43  Chatham  St. 

BOSTON,  = MASS. 


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SEEDS  for  SCHOOLS 

Can  be  obtained  in  any  quantity 
from 

The  School  Garden 
Association, 

Boston,  Mass. 


H.  D.  HBMENWAY, 

Author  of  “How  To  Make  School  Gardens” 
Published  by  Doubleday,  Page  & Co.,  N.  Y. 


LECTURES  ILLUSTRATED  WITH  BEAUTIFUL  SLIDES 


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